One day, Pee-wee's treasured bike is stolen by a rival ManChild. Desperate to get it back, he embarks on a cross country journey, meeting many bizarre characters along the way (and considering the sort of guy Pee-wee Herman is, that's one ''hell'' of a mouthful).

Though ostensibly Reubens' baby, it's famously Creator/TimBurton's director debut and then-Music/OingoBoingo frontman Music/DannyElfman's first score for a major motion picture. In fact, the three coming together was somewhat serendipitous: Burton and Reubens were huge fans of the 1982 no-budget cult film ''Film/ForbiddenZone'', which Elfman had scored, and their mutual love for the film not only convinced them to hire Elfman as the composer, but to base the entire film's quirky tone on it. The script was penned by Reubens and the late great Creator/PhilHartman.

Followed by the children's TV series ''Series/PeeWeesPlayhouse'' (1986-90) and the films ''Film/BigTopPeeWee'' (1988) and ''Film/PeeWeesBigHoliday'' (2016).----!!This film provides examples of:

* AllBikersAreHellsAngels: The "Satan's Helpers" are implied to be a rough and dangerous bunch, but they take a liking to Pee-wee's "Big Shoe Dance" once he starts smashing things. They can also identify with his quest for his stolen bike.* AluminumChristmasTrees: Yes, Creator/MrT breakfast cereal [[http://www.mrbreakfast.com/cereal_detail.asp?id=244 actually existed]].* AmbulanceCut: After Pee-wee exits the biker bar and crashes through a sign. The ambulance is escorted by all the bikers on their bikes.* ApatheticCitizens: The movie clearly establishes the strip mall Pee-wee visits is busy - with hordes of people walking around, riding bikes and skateboards. However evidently no one seems to have said anything about a person cutting a hundred pounds of chain off of a bike and leaving with it.* ArtisticLicenseLaw: Pee-wee tries to sneak a file to Mickey in a hot dog at the end of the film. The police officer who catches it merely says "hold it", and then takes the file out[[note]]With Mickey saying "Good try"[[/note]], though actually attempting to break someone out of jail is fairly serious.* BadBadActing: In the ShowWithinAShow that ends the film, Pee-wee mouths the actors' lines along with them and keeps [[AsideGlance glancing at the camera]]. At one point he can be seen glancing off camera (presumably at the director waving at him to get out of the shot) and then sliding partially out of frame. * BadGuyBar: Home of "Satan's Helpers".* BewareOfHitchhikingGhosts: Inverted. The passenger isn't a ghost, but ''the driver'' is. And she's actually pretty nice, although frightening. * BullSeeingRed: Andy goes after Pee-wee, who is riding a bull. The bull sees Andy's red shirt and chases him right out of the movie.* ByTheLightsOfTheirEyes: Pee-wee, when hitchhiking through the desert at night.[[note]]Then he remembers his "headlight glasses"...[[/note]]* CaliforniaDoubling: Most of the "Texas" scenes are shot in California. The Dinosaur Park is located in Cabazon[[note]]Appropriately enough, it features the "Cabazon Dinosuars".[[/note]], while the rodeo scenes were shot at the L.A. County Fairgrounds. Scenes done inside The Alamo were shot at [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_San_Fernando_Rey_de_Espa%C3%B1a The Mission San Fernando Rey de España]] in Los Angeles but the shots of Pee-wee entering and exiting The Alamo are of the real [=McCoy=]. * TheCameo:** Music/TwistedSister is recording a music video during Pee-wee's chase across the backlots.** Pee-wee hides in Milton Berle's entourage while he tells the punchline to a joke.** The armored warrior Pee-wee gets directions from on the WB backlot is wearing an outfit from {{Film/Krull}}, in an odd costume example[[note]]Krull was filmed overseas and distributed by WB's competitor Creator/ColumbiaPictures[[/note]]. The actor playing said warrior is John Paragon, aka Jambi the Genie from Pee-wee's stage show and later, ''Pee-wee's Playhouse.''** The bus clerk is played by John Moody, who played Mailman Mike in the original stage incarnation of ''The Pee-wee Herman Show''.** The actress portraying Mother Superior is portrayed by none other than Lynne Marie Stewart, who played Miss Yvonne in ''The Pee-wee Herman Show'' and, of course, ''Pee-wee's Playhouse''.** The BikerBabe that says "I say you let me have him first" is played by Cassandra Peterson, aka Elvira.** James Brolin and Morgan Fairchild play "P.W." and Dottie, respectively, in the [[ShowWithinAShow "movie within a movie"]] at the end.** In-Universe Pee-wee has a cameo as the bellhop in the above-mentioned movie based on him.* ChekhovsArmoury: The magic shop. The only item to not see use in the movie was the Boomerang Bowtie. It's a DeletedScene.* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: Pee-Wee Herman, especially with all of his zany antics throughout the movie. * CoincidentalBroadcast: Twice - The radio talking about Mickey's escape, and the TV talking about Pee-wee's bike at the studio.* ColdTurkeysAreEverywhere: After his bike is stolen, Pee-wee sulks on a bench in the strip mall as he watching bikes of various shapes and sized (many comically so) go by.* ContrivedCoincidence: Pee-wee is just randomly watching the right channel of television at the right time to see his bike. * CoolAndUnusualPunishment:-->'''Lead biker:''' I say, we kill him.\\'''Rest of the gang:''' Yeah!\\'''Biker #2''': I say we hang him then we kill him.\\'''Rest of the gang:''' Yeah!\\'''Biker #3:''' I say we scalp him!\\'''Gang:''' Yeah!\\'''Biker #3:''' Then we tattoo him!\\'''Gang:''' Yeah!\\'''Biker #3:''' Then we hang him!\\'''Gang:''' Yeah!\\'''Biker #3:''' And then we kill him!\\'''Gang:''' Yeah!\\'''Pee-wee''' ''(in a tiny voice):'' I say we let him go.\\'''Biker gang:''' [[BigNo NO!]]\\'''Biker Babe:''' I say you let ME have him first.* CoolBike: The driving force of the whole movie is Pee-wee's quest to find his. The bike itself has rocket boosters, an EjectionSeat, can unleash an OilSlick, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking has spare handlebars pop out]] if one gets pulled off. Pee-wee's about to add a truck horn when the bike gets stolen.* CoolStoryBro:-->'''Francis:''' Remember the first time I saw your bike? You were riding past my house, and I came running out to tell you how much I liked it even way back then?\\'''Pee-wee:''' I love that story.* CreatorCameo:** Tim Burton is a thug in the alley way.** Co-writer Creator/PhilHartman is a reporter at the drive-in theater.* DeadAllAlong: Large Marge.* DeadpanSnarker: As goofy as Pee-wee acts, there are actually people out there that exasperate even him.* DemonHead: Large Marge.* DirtForcefield: Despite the vast array of filth and [[CoveredInGunge Gunge]] he encounters, Pee-wee's suit returns to spotlessness at the beginning of each new scene.* DisguisedInDrag: Pee-wee. Both the policeman ''and'' Mickey seem to like what they see.* DisproportionateRetribution: Subverted. Pee-wee hitchhikes with a guy on the run from the law, and helps him sneak through ''a police roadblock''. When asked what his crime was, he begins to talk about doing something terrible with a knife, then realizes that he's frightening Pee-wee, so he claims that [[MattressTagGag he cut the tag off his mattress]]. The naive Pee-wee nods in sympathy, saying, "I always thought that was the dumbest law."* DriveInTheater: Where Pee-wee and Dottie finally go on their date.* DreamIntro: The film begins with Pee-wee winning the Tour De France, but as the crown is about to be place on his head, an alarm is heard, prompting everyone in attendance to just up and leave; we then fade to Pee-wee waking up to the sound of his alarm clock. * EurekaMoment: "Everyone wanted my bike. This morning, before it got stolen, Francis offe- Francis!"* EvilLaugh: "Be sure and tell'em Large Marge sent ya!"* FakeStatic: Pee-wee does this to avoid asking Dottie out to the drive-in.* FatBastard: Francis Buxton, Pee-wee's arch-nemesis.-->'''Pee-wee:''' I want to see Francis!-->'''Butler:''' Francis is busy.-->'''Pee-wee:''' Busy doing what?!-->'''Butler:''' He is taking his bath.-->'''Pee-wee:''' Oh really, WHERE ARE THEY HOSIN' HIM DOWN?!* {{Foreshadowing}}: At the bike shop, Pee-wee tells the BMX bikers that he's doing some top-secret "James Bond" stuff to his bike. The [[ShowWithinAShow movie-within-a-movie]] has Pee-wee, here portrayed by James Brolin, doing some ''actual'' James Bond stuff. [[DontExplainTheJoke As in he's a secret agent]].* ForgottenPhlebotinum: The boomerang bow tie. It only gets used in a DeletedScene on the DVD, which extends the chase scene through the Warner Bros. studio lot. At one point, Pee-wee hides out on the set of an old western town, and as the guards make their way through, he tosses the bow-tie to disorient them long enough to allow him to slip away once again.* GadgeteersHouse: Pee Wee Herman's home got itself an upgrade on with a fully automated brakfast-making machine.* GetOut: Right after, the car makes a soft landing:-->'''Mickey:''' Out!\\'''Pee-Wee:''' But--\\'''Mickey:''' '''''OUUUTTT!!'''''* HaHaHaNo: This is Pee-wee's reaction to Francis wanting to buy his bike: Pee-wee falls to the ground, laughing uproariously. Francis asks him what's so funny, and Pee-wee stops laughing, rises to his feet and tells him sternly, "It's ''not'' for ''sale'', Fran''cis''!"* HarmfulToHitchhikers: Subverted. Early on in his journey, Pee-wee hitches a ride with Mickey, who is quickly established as an escaped convict. However, he never harms Pee-wee and even lets him drive. When Pee-wee almost crashes the car, he still doesn't kill him but instead forces him to find new transportation; Mickey isn't ''entirely'' sure what Pee-wee swerved to miss, but he knows it isn't Pee Wee's fault, knowing how utterly harmless Pee-wee is - he just doesn't want any more of the zaniness.* HissBeforeFleeing: Inverted. At night in a storm, a deranged Pee-wee is walking through an alley, when he's accosted by a group of hoods ([[CreatorCameo one of whom is Burton]]):-->'''Hooligan:''' Hey, you're new to this turf! We don't take kindly to strangers coming around here!-->''[Pee-wee hisses as a flash of lightning lights up the night; the gangbangers flee in terror]''* IMeantToDoThat: The TropeNamer.* ImprovisedParachute: The roof on Mickey's convertible.* IncrediblyLamePun: Pee-wee shares a few.** While dancing on the bar to "Tequila," he cries out "Breakdance!" and proceeds to... [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant break stuff while dancing]].** At the movie premier, he brings Simone and her French boyfriend some "FRENCH FRIES!!"[[note]]Both: "Merci beaucoup, Pee-Wee!" / Pee-Wee: "Merci, blah-blah!"[[/note]]* InformedLoner: A running gag has people who try to ditch someone claim to be "a loner, a rebel..." Pee-wee says it to worm out of a date with Dottie, which is mirrored in the FilmWithinAFilm. Mickey also ditches Pee-wee with the same words in an IronicEcho.* InnocentInnuendo: Simone, the GreasySpoon waitress, is overheard by her boyfriend Andy talking to Pee-wee. He assumes something else when Pee-wee says--> "Everyone I know has a big 'but'[[note]]an excuse for not following their dream[[/note]]. Come on, Simone, let's talk about your big 'but.'"* ItsAlwaysMardiGrasInNewOrleans: While on the run from Andy, Pee-wee smacks into a Mexican Day of The Dead parade and uses it to slip away.* JailBake: Not in a cake, but in a footlong hot dog.* KarmaHoudini: The fortune teller deliberately misleads Pee-wee and steals his wallet, but she never comes back or gets her comeuppance.* LemmingCops: The security guards at Creator/WarnerBros, who take chase (and crash rather impressively) rather than just cutting off all the studio exits.* LineOfSightName: How Pee-wee gets duped by a fortune teller into going on a wild goose hunt to the Alamo.--> "The Alamo! In... the basement."* ManChild: Pee-wee and his archnemesis Francis Buxton. It's never clear whether they're supposed to be childish men or actual juveniles played by adult actors. Pee-wee is referred to as a "boy" several times. * MatchlightDangerRevelation: Taken to the extreme, when Pee-wee discovers that he's surrounded by every animal in the desert.* MattressTagGag: The reason Mickey is a wanted criminal, or so he tells Pee-Wee.* MissedHimByThatMuch: Pee-wee's bike is being towed on a trailer, as he's riding alongside it in Mickey's car, but he fails to turn his head and see it.* MonsterClown: Pee-wee's nightmares are full of them, due to the fact that his bike was stolen while chained to a clown statue.* MotorcycleDominoes: Caused twice by Pee-wee, first with bicycles in Dottie's store, then later with the Satan's Helpers' hogs.-->'''Pee-Wee''': I barely touched them!* TheNameIsBondJamesBond: "P.W." Herman announces himself this way in the movie of the movie.--> "Reservation under Herman... P.W. Herman."* NiceCharacterMeanActor: The nasty child star playing the sweet little orphan boy in the film where Pee-wee's bike is a prop. * NightmareFace:** Large Marge tells a story of the night a trucker crashed, and she shows exactly what they looked like.** The various evil clowns in one of Pee-wee's nightmares.* NightmareSequence: Pee-wee's nightmares.* NumberOneDime: The whole plot is about Pee-wee looking for his bike, which on the outside is just a goofy bike with some doodads and gizmos, and to most people it's just an ugly eyesore. Pee-wee cannot even sleep comfortably while his precious bike remains missing.* OhCrap: Accident or not, Pee-wee knows that knocking over the {{badass biker}}s Harleys is forfeiting his life.* OneOfTheKids: Pee-wee, as well as Francis.* PrecisionFStrike: A PG variant, and only shocking because of who's saying it: when Dottie offers an especially emotional Pee-wee a good deal on a new bike, he snaps back at her "I don't want some other crappy bike!"* PrisonsAreGymnasiums: Pee-wee asks Mickey what "the big house" is like.-->'''Mickey:''' You get to lift weights, watch TV, write up appeals, take long showers, lift weights. You get used to it.* RentAZilla: [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] here, as during Pee-wee's backlot chase scene the monster movie set he rides through features the actual Franchise/{{Godzilla}} fighting the actual King Ghidorah, for which Creator/WarnerBros was sued by Creator/{{Toho}}.* RubeGoldbergDevice: What Pee-wee uses to make his breakfast, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVdqwD_bcPs as seen here.]]* RulesOfTheRoad: Pee-wee passes increasingly absurd signs while driving at night.* SantaClaus: Santa Claus and Godzilla. [[JuxtapositionGag Together at last]]!* ShoutOut: ** Large Marge is an homage to the classic ghost story of Big Joe (also the subject of an old song called "Phantom 309"). Unlike Marge, Joe is a friendly fella who doesn't try to scare his passengers and gives them money to eat at the diner where he drops them off.** Pee-wee's "I'm a loner, a rebel" speech is from ''Film/RebelWithoutACause''.** When Pee-Wee is being chased though a Franchise/{{Tarzan}} set on the Warner Bros. lot, he does the trademark yell at one point...then one of the security guards does it.* ShowWithinAShow: The movie based on Pee-wee's life at the end.* SnipeHunt: Pee-wee's entire trip to Texas - despite being the driving force of over half the movie - is this. There is no basement in the Alamo; the fortune teller came up with the lie by line of sight to convincingly rip Pee-wee off.* SpellMyNameWithAnS: In the DVD commentary, Reubens points out that Pee-wee's flyer incorrectly capitalizes the "W" in "Pee-wee."* StylisticSuck: The movie that is made at the end is an over the top action movie, where the Soviets have stolen P.W.'s top secret motorcycle.* TooDumbToLive: Pee-wee, in a bar full of murderous bikers:--> "Shhhh! I'm ''trying'' to use the ''phone''!"* UncannyValleyMakeup: The doctor who eviscerates Pee-wee's bike in his nightmare.* VocalDissonance: Pee-wee's voice is dubbed when he makes his cameo in the movie based on his life. [[RuleOfFunny Needless to say]], it sounds ridiculous.* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: One of the animals sold in the burning pet shop are snakes, which Pee-Wee is rather squeamish about touching. When there's no other animals left to be saved, he grabs as many as he can and runs out of the building screaming.[[note]]According to the DVDCommentary, Paul Reubens really is afraid of snakes. [[EnforcedMethodActing Those screams weren't fake]].[[/note]]* WorkOffTheDebt: Pee-wee washes dishes for his meal at a diner after discovering that he left his wallet at Madam Ruby's.----